A Fresh Start
by Zirak
Summary: Ok, the first chapter up. An AU where an ACC is added to the plot. Starts pretty early on in the series, an Eva fic. Please R&R, I appreciate any advice, especially from veteran authors - Chapter 2 up.
1. Chapter 1

Okay, here is my first Chapter up for your enjoyment. Please Read & Review, and I will add another chapter when I get round to writing more. Thank you! Thanks to sprite for the pre-read.  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this fic apart from my own. They are property of GAINAX.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Misato gazed across the spectacular view of Tokyo-03 in the sunset. An empty plateau of metal plates dominated most of the landscape, while in the distance a small cluster of buildings made up the rest of the space. The entirely metal landscape glowed orange as it reflected the setting sun.   
  
Misato looked at her watch. "Almost time," she thought, and returned her brown eyes to the city. Sure enough, a siren rang out across the empty plateau. In answer to the wailing call, the metal plates slowly opened up, and the rest of the city slowly rose to join the other part. Huge skyscrapers slowly grew to fill the view, the massive city soon returning to normal size. Sunlight gleamed off the windows, bathing everything in a warm, golden glow. As the sun slowly lumbered into the ground, Tokyo-03 stretched out and turned into the busy city Misato knew so well. She sighed. On any other evening, no matter how many times she saw it, it still took her breath away. What was so different about tonight? Her mind was on other things. Dwelling on the new boy that had recently joined NERV as an Eva pilot. He seemed okay, but she couldn't help thinking that he was not happy here. She had shown him this sight yesterday, and shown him what he had saved, but he still didn't seem to lighten up.  
  
"I think I can guess why," she mused, and her thoughts angrily turned to one Gendo Ikari, supreme commander of NERV. "He knew that would happen," Misato's fists clenched as the anger welled up within her, "he doesn't care how his only son feels. All he wants is to achieve his goal, no matter the cost."  
And what was his goal? Misato didn't really know. Defeating the Angels? Possibly. But she sensed there was an ulterior motive to the commander's actions. Like he knew why they were attacking. Misato shook her head to clear her thoughts.   
  
"Never mind," she reflected, "let him do what he wants. All I care about is the destruction of the Angels." Instinctively her hand went to the small cross that hung around her neck.  
  
"Father," she whispered and returned her gaze once more to the fortress city of Japan's latest capital, Tokyo-03.  
  
Back at the apartment, the boy in question was lying on his mat, SDAT player in hand, music playing in his ears. Only he wasn't listening to it. His mind was whirling with the sudden changes that had turned his life upside down, and with the last fight. Shinji Ikari sighed and turned over to lie on his side, and winced as memories of the previous day flashed in his mind's eye. The Eva, the Angel, Tokyo-03, the girl with blue hair, and his father all spun around in his mind, twirling and surfacing, whirring around and gurgling away as if down a drain. He sighed again and lay on his stomach instead.   
  
Across the globe, in a city known as New London, another boy of the same age was contemplating something else.  
  
"Japan? I dunno," Kevin said cautiously, "I mean, they don't even have proper food."  
  
"It's not as if you have any choice. Your flight is booked, and everything is sorted. You're leaving in two days."  
  
"Fine, fine," he grumbled, "I'll go, but I dunno whether I'm ready yet."  
  
"You leave whether you are ready or not. You will continue training there."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I was kidding," he said, and sighed. Japan. The land of the Rising Sun. He switched off his mobile and swept his dark green eyes across the expanse of water that buried Old London and sighed again. Second Impact had devastated England. Over half the population had been wiped out, and since England's population wasn't very big to start with, well, that made it worse.   
  
"Not that it matters that much," Kevin mused, "England is smaller anyway, with all the higher water levels." He hated to think what had happened in the Netherlands. Probably virtually gone, he surmised, with all that "borrowed" land from the sea.  
  
"Oh well," he thought, "Japan in two days. Yahoo." He didn't want to leave his home but what choice did he have? The almighty NERV Corporation dictated his life now. Kevin's left hand moved to his right where a ring rested on his ring finger. He slipped it off and held it to his chest. "Mother," he whispered, "where did you go? I need you." He sighed for a third time, and put the ring back on. "No matter," he said, glaring at the sea, "I'll show them. I'll make you proud, mum."  
  
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"You've requested the fourth child?" Misato asked the stern figure incredulously.   
  
"Correct," He replied, "we need as many pilots as possible at the moment. And as Rei is incapacitated this boy will have to do."   
  
Misato glared at the figure, but he made no response. Instead, he folded his gloved hands in front his face and replied coldly, "You are dismissed."  
  
Misato looked pleadingly at the dark figure standing behind the desk, but he also made no move. Glaring once more at the brooding figure, she left the spacious office.  
  
"She is not happy," Kozo Fuyutski said to the motionless black-clad man seated at the desk.  
  
"I have gathered that," Gendo Ikari replied, "however, it cannot be helped. We need more pilots. And Evas," he added.  
  
"So you really think this is necessary? When do you plan to bring in the girl from Germany?"  
  
"Yes. And I will bring her over when she is needed."  
  
Reluctantly, Fuyutski relinquished the questioning, realising he would gather nothing more from the cold man. He sighed. Well, he trusted Gendo's intentions, and if he preferred that no one knew, he didn't mind.   
  
"So it has finally begun," he muttered, "the Angels have returned."  
  
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Kevin shuffled uncomfortably as the plane slowly descended for the landing. He hated this part, his ears always hurt like hell. Something to do with the pressure, or something, either way it was painful.  
  
"Ow," he groaned as the pressure increased, and held his hands over his ears, though it did nothing. Finally he felt the familiar jolt as the plane made contact with the ground, and sighed with relief as the pressure was relinquished on his ears, albeit slowly. As he left the plane he winced as both his ears popped.   
  
"Dammit, I hate flying," he complained, lugging his heavy hand luggage down the steps.  
  
Dumping his bag on the concrete ground he brushed his long, pitch-black hair back and looked around for the person he was supposed to be meeting.  
  
"Misato Katsuragi? Hm, odd name. But then, I suppose all Japanese names are."  
  
"Excuse me?" A voice in Japanese behind him demanded.  
  
"Oops, damn," Kevin muttered in English, and slowly turned around to see a young woman in her late twenties, with dark purple hair and brown eyes glaring at him.  
  
Misato sized up the boy that stood before her designated the fourth child. He had long, black hair that almost shimmered blue in the light and was of a slim build. He was a little taller and broader than Shinji, but his most prominent feature was his eyes. They were deep swirling orbs of emerald green, and seemed to shine with an inner light.   
  
"He has a strong spirit," she thought, "let's hope he doesn't lose it."  
  
"Well?" She demanded. "Are you going to just stand there, or follow me?"  
  
"Sorry, ma'am," he mumbled in Japanese, picked up his bag and followed her across the runway into the main building.  
  
The car drive to the NERV complex and its surrounding flats was a quiet one. Kevin glanced over at Misato, then back at his hands.  
  
"Erm, ma'am? I just want to say I'm sorry for what I said on the runway."  
  
"Oh, it's no problem. I'm just in a bad mood. I didn't mean to appear cold." She glanced at his hands. "That's an interesting ring you have."  
  
"This? Oh, just a memento of my late mother. She died in a car crash after Second Impact." Kevin fought back the depression he felt coming on.  
  
Misato's tone softened. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know. I know what it's like to lose a parent at a young age."  
  
Kevin looked up. "Really?"  
  
"Yeah, my father died during Second Impact."  
  
"Oh." Not knowing what else to say he kept quiet, realising she had told him a very personal thing. He thought about what the future held in store for him and was silent for the rest of the journey.  
  
Misato parked her car outside the block of flats, "Here you go. Your room is on the ground floor. Remember, you have a synch test tomorrow morning."  
  
"Yeah, great," he mumbled, "but thanks for the lift."  
  
"You know your way round, right?"  
  
"Yeah, thanks again."  
  
"No problem," Misato smiled, and headed off for her own apartment, her spirits a little higher. "Well," she thought, "at least he seems okay."  
  
Kevin watched her retreating back, a smile also on his face. "She seems friendly enough when she's in a good mood," he thought, and walked to his apartment door, bag in hand. He unlocked the door, let himself in and took a deep breath inside the apartment. He looked for his bedroom and fell onto the mat.  
  
"I forgot, they sleep on the floor," he mused, "should be interesting. Synch test tomorrow. Ah well, better get some sleep."  
  
With that the fourth child changed his clothes and lay staring at the ceiling.  
  
"Damn body clock," he muttered, and turned on his side, trying to get into a comfortable position.  
  
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Author's note: Ok, this is now finally my complete chapter 1. Please let me know about any mistakes, and I graciously accept any advice. Thank you for reading this, I greatly appreciate it. Please let me know what you think! ^_^ 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
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The tech room was alive with activity as technicians worked at their workstations, gathering data and typing commands. The air was filled with the sounds of rhythmic tapping as the techs typed away. Now and then a soft bleep sounded, the only evidence that the computers were working, aside from the low humming. Huge glass panes that revealed a mass of water in which floated three makeshift entry plugs dominated one side of the room. In front of these panes was the main console. One screen showed the two pilots, Shinji and Kevin, as they sat in the plugs. Another showed the status and vital life-signs of the children, while a third showed their statistics.  
  
"Not bad," Dr. Ritsuko Akagi said, leaning forward studying one of the screens, "His results are good enough."  
  
"Good enough?" Misato replied, leaning against the windows, her arms folded across her chest.  
  
"Yes. Though as I understand it, he has no experience fighting real angels."  
  
"No, he hasn't. But that can soon change."  
  
"Yes it can. That was what he brought her for." Ritsuko glanced over at Misato. "What's wrong with you today? You seem to be in a bad mood."  
  
"Ah, it's nothing. It just irks me that the commander treats these kids like objects. They have feelings too. Especially Shinji. I mean, that's his son!" Misato turned round to face the window and looked at the screen that showed Shinji's face.   
  
"He is not happy," she sighed, "Goodness only knows why he still chooses to pilot an Eva."  
  
Ritsuko was silent after this outburst and let Misato calm down before speaking to her again.  
  
"Well, that's his choice, so doesn't that say something? Oh, and the test is concluded. Good work pilots." She said into the mike that was linked to the entry plugs.  
  
"He just doesn't want to be called a coward," Misato whispered, too quiet for anyone to hear.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
In the changing rooms after the test, Kevin kept glancing over at Shinji, waiting until he was finished.   
  
"Erm, hi. I'm Kevin." He said nervously, "You're Shinji, right?"  
  
Shinji looked slightly surprised as he replied, "Er, yes I am. You're the fourth child?"  
  
"Uh-huh. I heard about your first fight. Pretty cool, if you ask me."  
  
"Oh, that. It wasn't anything special," Shinji muttered, moving his eyes to the floor.  
  
"You kidding me? You had a higher ratio than me first time. 40% without ever having been in one before? I only had 30%."  
  
"That's still pretty good," Shinji murmured, his eyes still looking at the floor.  
  
Realizing he had touched upon a sensitive subject, Kevin let it drop and changed it.  
  
"Come on, let's see our results now."  
  
Shinji followed him out of the door and thought about what Kevin had just told him.  
  
"He thinks I did well," he thought, and a small smile crept onto his face. For once, he was looking forward to hearing his results.  
  
"50%, Shinji. And 47% for Kevin. Very good, both of you. You have the rest of day free to do what you like." Dr. Akagi smiled.  
  
"Ah, I'll beat you next time. Well, I'm gonna go unpack. See you around, Shinji!" Kevin gave him a small wave, and left. Shinji looked a little bewildered. Misato smiled.  
  
"Well, maybe that will encourage him a little more. I hope he has a positive impact on him," She mused.  
  
Ritsuko noticed her expression, and smiled herself. "It's good she feels a little better. We all need clear heads at the moment," She thought.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
Shinji sat in the entry plug, gripping the two handles. His finger rested on the trigger, muscles tensed ready to flex at the slightest signal. His face was impassive, a stone mask hiding any feelings or emotions. Suddenly, a figure shot out of the ground. Shinji blinked. It was Sachiel.  
  
"Shinji. Just centre the target and pull the trigger. That's all you have to do." Misato's voice sounded in his ears, compelling to move. He did, with quick efficiency.   
  
"Centre the target, and pull the trigger," he muttered, doing so as his targeting computer bleeped. The stationary Sachiel target disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Almost immediately afterwards, another one rose from the ground. And another, and another, and yet a third. Shinji shot them all down; all the while murmuring what Misato had told him. His Eva responded to his will, turning in the direction he desired, firing off a volley of bullets each time his finger pressed the trigger. Each new target had estimated life span of 10 seconds.  
  
"He is almost like Rei," Ritsuko commented from behind her laptop.  
  
"I guess that's how he deals with things," Misato replied, her eyes sweeping over the data screen. "Regardless, he seems to be doing well. His stats are good. He almost always downs the targets in one volley."  
  
"But fighting the real angels won't be as easy."  
  
"Well, he'll just have to improvise," Misato said, and returned her gaze to Unit-01 just as a new target disintegrated. "Okay Shinji, that's enough. Kevin, your turn."  
  
"Yes ma'am," Kevin said from the back of the room, where he had been watching. He left and changed into his pure white jumpsuit. In the training room his silver Eva waited motionlessly, the eyes gleaming scarlet where the light caught them. Its face was very similar to that of Unit-01, but its shoulder pads were smaller, and it had no horn. It's eyes were also different, not hidden behind a mask. It had two blood red orbs on the front of its face. The entire Eva was a reflective silver colour and gleamed in the artificial light. Kevin stood staring up at the machine he had been chosen to pilot by the Marduk Institute, and wondered whether he had made the right decision to accept a year ago.   
  
"As if I had any choice," he muttered  
  
He had only been inside it a few times, for training and to get the feel of it. He had never fired a weapon with it; everything had been done inside simulators. Now would be the time when he would train properly to combat the monsters that had devastated the Earth and his home. A tingle of anticipation ran up his spine.  
  
"Let's go!" He reassured himself, and climbed into the recently ejected entry plug. The familiar sensation of being immersed in LCL slowly ran up his body as the fluid filled the plug. His long hair floated round his head like a halo, suspended in the golden liquid like seaweed in the sea. Kevin gripped the handles and nodded as Misato asked whether he was ready.  
  
"I'm ready."  
  
"Okay. Grab the gun and start taking down the targets. You know how, right?"  
  
"Centre the target and pull the trigger," Kevin replied in a monotone, and grinned. "Sorry Shinji."  
  
"Good," Misato replied, and tried not to look at Shinji as the corners of her mouth twitched. Shinji didn't seem to notice, and hadn't appeared to have heard Kevin.  
  
"What?" He asked, as Misato seemed to be smiling at him.  
  
"Don't worry," She said and shook her head. "He seems to be brooding about something," She thought, and returned her concentration to the computer screens.   
  
In the meanwhile Kevin was holding the gun and stood waiting for the fake angels. Suddenly one popped up. Kevin gripped the handles tighter and waited for the signal. After about three seconds the computer bleeped. Kevin pulled the trigger and felt the vibrations as his Eva loosed a round of bullets. They shot towards the targets like golden spears, vaporising the target in a matter of seconds.  
  
"Whoa," Kevin breathed. "Misato, what will happen to the Eva's once the angels are gone? These things could crush any opposing army in minutes."  
  
"Well, I don't know. NERV will decommission them I guess," Misato said uncomfortably. "Anyway, that doesn't matter. Focus on killing the angles for now."  
  
"Yes ma'am," Kevin murmured, and continued to take down the fake Sachiels with the same efficiency as Shinji had done.  
  
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The classroom seemed devoid of any life. Empty chairs stood at empty desks and the teacher's desk was likewise bare. The sunlight streamed through the windows bathing the classroom in light. The potted plants eagerly awaited any sunlight, slowly turning towards it over a long period of time. The room was utterly empty.  
  
"Where's everyone gone?"  
  
Well, almost empty.  
  
"Don't you know? Most people have left out of fear. They don't want to get caught up in the Eva/Angel conflict. Where've you been anyway, Toji?"  
  
"Ah, I've been visiting my sister in hospital. She was hurt in the last angel attack, and with my dad and granddad at the lab, without me she's all alone."  
  
Toji clenched his hands.  
  
"Its all that damn pilots fault! I thought he was supposed to protect us?! If I find him I swear I'll…"  
  
His voice faded into silence. His friend, Kensuke Aida turned in his seat and looked at Toji with concern. They were two of only a handful of students that had bothered to turn up to school. Kensuke had a camera in his hands as usual but broke off his filming to look at Toji seated on his desk. His eyes were cold and brooding, his hands clenched around the one leg hoisted up in a half-crossed-legged position, the other leg dangling off the desk.  
  
"Hey, there are two new guys I've never seen before. They appear to be new, so take your pick. I bet one of 'em's the new pilot."  
  
Toji shook himself out of his reverie and glared at the new students. One of them, with long black hair, had his feet up on the desk by the window, leaning back in his chair gazing out of the window with his hands behind his head. The other sat at another desk near the front of the class, his shoulders hunched over and his head down. Toji swept his eyes round the rest of the room. Rei sat further down near the back of the classroom, also staring out the window as usual. Toji noticed she was covered in bandages, some of them showing dark stains below the surface. The class rep., Hikari, was standing by the door, looking bored. She glanced out the doorway now and then, expecting the teacher to come any minute. Toji snorted. She had a long wait. Suddenly she straightened.  
  
"All rise!" She commanded, her voice travelling through the classroom instantly. Everyone immediately leapt out of his or her seats; the newcomers slow to do so. The teacher, a small old man of about sixty, went to his desk and laid his books on it.  
  
After droning on about the level of devastation wreaked upon the earth because of Third Impact, Shinji was snapped out of his daydream by a sharp electronic beep. Startled, he looked on his laptop and saw the call icon flashing. Looking around he lowered his head to it and pressed accept. He watched as a message slowly scrolled across his screen.  
  
Is it true that you're a pilot? :  
  
Y/N  
  
Looking around again, Shinji shrugged and presses the Y button. The effect was almost instantaneous. Suddenly all the students, girls with wide-eyed amazement, and boys with exited gleams in their eyes surrounded him. All talked to him at once. Shinji, overwhelmed by the noise and commotion, shrunk in his chair, trying to disappear from sight. Only three students had not joined the throng. Toji narrowed his eyes and Kensuke noted with interest the third student who had not joined the throng. The boy with long black hair was watching all the commotion with amusement, leaning back on two chair legs again. The teacher was looking out of the window and hadn't seemed to notice the whole of his class had surrounded Shinji. Soon afterwards, the school bell rang a low note, signalling the end of school.  
  
"Oh. Well, that's it for today. Dismissed."  
  
"Hey, come you guys! Rise! Bow! Come on, don't you even have manners!?"  
  
The class reluctantly left the room and Shinji breathed a sigh of relief. He was unused to being the centre of attention. Packing away his things he also left, his hands in his pockets, his mind withdrawn and brooding. As he turned a corner in the schoolyard, a fist came out of nowhere.  
  
SMACK!  
  
Shinji fell over backwards and threw his arms out to protect him from the impact. Rubbing his sore cheek he glared up at his assailant.   
  
"Sorry, newcomer, but I had to clobber you to vent my anger." Toji stood over him massaging his knuckles, his face impassive. As he turned and walked away, another boy walked over to Shinji.  
  
"He's mean, huh. His sister was injured the last time you fought a battle. Well, that's his excuse anyway!" Kensuke smiled and followed Toji.  
  
"Its not as if I had a choice. They made me pilot it." Shinji muttered.  
  
Toji froze and turned round. Shoving Kensuke out of the way he grabbed Shinji's collar and glared at his face. Shinji just ignored him, looking at the ground. Just as Toji lifted another fist to hit him, a different voice rang out.  
  
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?"  
  
Kevin ran over to the commotion, and tore Shinji from Toji's grasp. After asserting he was okay, he rounded on Toji.  
  
"He saved your life, you ungrateful moron. The whole city would be dead if it weren't for him."  
  
"My sister is nearly dead because of him!" Toji shot back, clenching his fists.  
  
"Did you ever consider the rubble might have been knocked over by the angel, regardless of the pilot's presence? No, I didn't think so. Now shove off and find someone else to "vent your anger" on." Kevin continued to glare at Toji, and clenched his own fists.   
  
Toji regarded him for a moment, and relented, spinning round and stalking away. Kensuke looked back and forward between Kevin and Toji, and then proceeded to follow Toji, looking back over his shoulder.  
  
"Hey Shinji, you ok?" Kevin asked, grabbing his shoulders.  
  
"I'm fine." Shinji mumbled, returning his hands to his pockets. Kevin was about to reply when he heard running footsteps. As he turned round he saw Rei, breathless yet impassive at the scene before her.  
  
"There's an emergency. I'll check in first." As soon as she had finished, she sprinted off again, and the loud droning of the sirens swept across Tokyo 3. Kevin looked up and followed the path Rei had taken to NERV HQ. Shinji followed behind, a little further back behind Kevin.  
  
"Um, Kevin?" He said.  
  
"Kevin turned round. "Yeah?"  
  
"Erm, thanks for helping me out." He managed to say, averting his eyes.  
  
"Hey, no problem!" Kevin smiled and waited for him. Shinji smiled back tentatively, and caught up with him.   
  
"You ready to kick some angel butt?" Kevin asked, punching his hand.  
  
"Um, sure." Shinji replied, and the pair of them made their way to NERV HQ. 


End file.
